We sampled 119 Nelore cattle (Bos indicus), 69 harboring B. indicus mtDNA plus 50 carrying Bos taurus mtDNA, to estimate the frequencies of putative mtDNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and investigate their association with Nelore weight and scrotal circumference estimated breeding values (EBVs). The PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to detect polymorphisms in the mitochondrial asparagine, cysteine, glycine, leucine and proline transporter RNA (tRNA) genes (tRNAasn, tRNAcys, tRNAgly, tRNAleu and tRNApro). The 50 cattle carrying B. taurus mtDNA were monomorphic for all the tRNA gene SNPs analyzed, suggesting that they are specific to mtDNA from B. indicus cattle. No tRNAcys or tRNAgly polymorphisms were detected in any of the cattle but we did detect polymorphic SNPs in the tRNAasn, tRNAleu and tRNApro genes in the cattle harboring B. indicus mtDNA, with the same allele observed in the B. taurus sequence being present in the following percentage of cattle harboring B. indicus mtDNA: 72.46% for tRNAasn, 95.23% for tRNAleu and 90.62% for tRNApro. Analyses of variance using the tRNAasn SNP as the independent variable and EBVs as the dependent variable showed that the G -> T SNP was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with maternal EBVs for weight at 120 and 210 days (p < 0.05) and animal's EBVs for weight at 210, 365 and 455 days. There was no association of the tRNAasn SNP with the scrotal circumference EBVs. These results confirm that mtDNA can affect weight and that mtDNA polymorphisms can be a source of genetic variation for quantitative traits.

O fitoterápico Calmatoss® é um xarope composto por tinturas de guaco (Mikania glomerata), grindélia (Grindelia robusta), copaíba (Copaifera officinalis), bálsamo de Tolú (Myroxylon toluifera), álcoolatura de agrião (Nasturtium officinale), própolis e mel. Sua principal indicação é para o tratamento de afecções do trato respiratório por suas ações antimicrobianas, antitussígenas, expectorantes e broncodilatadora. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a toxicologia clínica dessa preparação em voluntários saudáveis. Para isso realizou-se um ensaio clínico, não controlado com 24 voluntários de ambos os sexos, que receberam ambulatorialmente 15 mL do xarope quatro vezes ao dia, durante 21 dias ininterruptos. Os voluntários foram incluídos no estudo somente quando considerados saudáveis após avaliação clínica, exame físico e exames laboratoriais que antecederam o estudo. O xarope Calmatoss® foi bem tolerado pelos 24 voluntários não apresentando eventos adversos graves. Os exames clínicos, eletrocardiográficos e laboratoriais efetuados antes, durante e após o ensaio não evidenciaram sinais de toxicidade nos diversos órgãos e sistemas avaliados, confirmando a segurança da preparação para utilização em ensaios de eficácia terapêutica.

Calmatoss® is a phytomedicine used in several respiratory tract pathologies treatment composed of seven medicinal plants such as Mikania glomerata, Grindelia robusta, Copaifera officinalis, Myroxylon toluifera, Nasturtium officinale, as well as honey and propolis. The present study investigated the chronic administration of 15 mL Calmatoss® syroup four times a day during 21 days for any toxic effect on healthy volunteers. The clinical trial consisted of an open study with 24 volunteers included in the study only when considered healthy after clinical evaluation, physical examination and laboratory tests, which preceded the study. The laboratory tests included: heamatologic, biochemical and sorologic analysis. This evaluation was repeated after the first, second and third week of treatment and at post-study seven days after the last administration. Calmatoss® was well tolerated by the volunteers. Variations in the laboratory were observed and all of these laboratory changes returned to normal levels during or after the study. In spite of these variations none of the volunteers had their values out of the established normality limits for each parameter. In conclusion, clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory tests did not show any evidence of toxic signals in the various organs and systems studied.

O estudo objetivou avaliar a segurança clínica do uso de uma formulação fitoterápica composta da associação de Mikania glomerata, Mentha piperita, Eucalyptus globulus e Copaifera multijuga, incorporadas à própolis e mel para tratar doenças respiratórias. O ensaio clínico consistiu de um estudo aberto, com 26 voluntários adultos de ambos os sexos, que receberam quatro doses orais de 15 mL de Saratosse®, durante 28 dias ininterruptos. Os voluntários foram incluídos somente se considerados saudáveis, após exames clínico e complementares que antecederam o estudo. A avaliação laboratorial incluía análises hematológicas, bioquímicas e sorológicas. A mesma avaliação foi repetida após cada semana de tratamento e no pós-estudo, sete dias após a última administração. Os resultados foram submetidos à Análise de Variância (teste de Dunnett), obtendo-se, a menor diferença significante (p < 0,05). O xarope foi bem tolerado. Alguns eventos adversos foram relatados, sendo classificados como possivelmente ou não atribuídos ao fitoterápico. Os índices de hemoglobina, TGO, TGP, creatinina e leucócitos não apresentaram diferenças significativas em relação ao pré-estudo. Todos os parâmetros laboratoriais estiveram dentro das suas respectivas faixas de normalidade. Os exames clínicos, eletrocardiográficos e laboratoriais não evidenciaram sinais de toxicidade nos órgãos e sistemas avaliados.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of the use of a phytomedicine syrup (Saratosse®) composed of several medicinal plants: Mikania glomerata, Mentha piperita, Eucalyptus globulus and Copaifera multijuga, along with honey and propolis to treat respiratory diseases. The clinical trial consisted of an open study with 26 adult volunteers of both sexes, who were given an oral dose of 15 mL of Saratosse® for 28 consecutive days, four times a day. Only volunteers who were found healthy after a clinical and physical examination were included. The laboratory tests included: hematological, biochemical and serological analysis. This evaluation was repeated after each week of treatment and seven days after the last administration. ANOVA analysis (Dunnett's test) showed a significant difference, albeit at low statistical level (p < 0.05). Significant differences to the pre-study were not shown by hemoglobin, SGOT, SGPT, creatinine and leukocytes analysis. Laboratorial tests results were within their maximum and minimum reference values. On the whole the medicine was well tolerated. Some side effects were related, which may or not be attributed to the phytomedicine. Clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory tests did not show any evidence of toxic signs in the organs and systems studied.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) has been detected at the bovine kappa-casein locus. The polymorphism has been analyzed for its effects in cattle production, mostly for milk traits and even for maternal effect on pre-weaning weights. We used polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to genotype 408 Nellore animals for the non-silent mutation (Thr/Ile136 and Asp/Ala148) that characterizes the A and B variants of the polymorphism and compared expected progeny difference (EPD) for a maternal effect on 120 and 210 days weights and direct EPD for 120, 210, 450 and 550 day weight between AA and AB animals. The EPD values were obtained from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) Nellore Cattle Breeding Program, which evaluated 266,272 animals in 2001. Analysis of Variance was used to compare weight expected progeny differences (EPDs) between animals genotyped as AA and AB. The A allele frequency was 0.911. Although the AA animals had higher weight EPDs than AB animals the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).